After leaving the winter meetings without a splash the Cubs made some minor moves over the weekend. One of these moves was claiming an intriguing right hander Liam Hendricks from the Minnesota Twins. Hendricks is 24 years old and hails from Australia once regarded as a top 10 prospect with the Minnesota Twins as recent as 2012. The one problem for Hendricks has been the major leagues his numbers are quite pitiful at 2-13 with a 6.08 earned run average in 28 starts (30 games). The Australian righty has a 3.61 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 254 career innings at Triple-A and a career 2.99 ERA in the minors as a whole. Hendricks features a fastball that sits between 87-90 miles per hour a good slider and above average changeup. Baseball America had listed him with the ceiling of a number three starter if all were to pan out. At the very least this was a waiver claim and does not cost the Cubs very much which bares no risk money wise.

Bruce Levine tweeted this weekend that the Yankees may look to trade for Darwin Barney to add a second baseman to their roster. Barney batted 208/.266/.303 in 141 games for the Cubs this season. Although, offense isn’t Barney’s strong point as his defense is gold glove worthy the past two seasons. Barney was the recipient in 2012 and turned in another solid campaign in 2013. According to UZR or the Ultimate Zone Rating Barney’s defense the past two seasons is collectively worth three wins for the Chicago Cubs. I’m not exactly what the Cubs would demand in return in a Barney trade I’m assuming young pitching or catching prospects but obviously they wouldn’t be premier prospects as Barney doesn’t warrant that return. Presumably if Barney is traded this off-season it opens the door for Luis Valbuena and Logan Watkins to fight for the job in spring training.

Sean mentioned last Friday that the Cubs were interested in John Axford but news broke last night the Axford has agreed with the Indians on a contract. Other veteran relievers the Cubs have been linked to are Joaquin Benoit, Joba Chamberlain and Drew Storen. I still believe the Cubs should get a veteran reliever even though I’m weary that it might turn into another Shawn Camp situation where the said reliever is over-worked like Russell or out of gas. In other news it seems more and more likely that Ervin Santana won’t be signed until after the Tanaka situation is figured out. I spoke with his agent over the weekend and his words were that “he would guess Santana would sign after Tanaka”.

Rob Willer is a marketing student, with a Spanish minor and certificates in interactive marketing and professional sales, currently attending Northern Illinois. He also works for the College of Business and Social Venture Partners Chicago as a marketing intern. He started following the Cubs in the 1996 season and was a bat boy for the 2004 and 2006 Spring Training seasons. Connect with Rob on Twitter @Rob_Willer or via e-mail.

Wow, someone who actually speaks to an agent. I spoke to an agent once, I asked her to put me in first class but ended up in a non recline last row seat by the bathrooms next to a crying baby on a 5 hour flight.

This Cubs era will live and die on the development of the young players like Castro, Rizzo, Wellington and Smootz. And if you need legal representation they can do that to.

Eddie Von White

“The one problem for Hendricks has been the major leagues” – That was my one problem too, which is why I ended up in church league softball.

Jedi

Seems to be a recurring theme for most of the guys that the Cubs promote.

http://swantron.com/ jswanson

I spoke to an agent once as well. She wore slacks and I gave her 3% of the purchase price of my house.

Doc Raker

It’s that pesky ‘major league’ problem that plaques the Cubs, if we could just compete at the AA level we would having a winning season, at least sometimes.

Seymour Butts

I spoke to an Agent once, but the CIA disavowed all knowledge of him when captured by the Iranians

Chuck

Maybe the Cubs should consider being relegated to AAA.

Chuck

I am an agent of chaos.

PLCB3

I once called an agent at 3AM. He was wearing khakis and helped me out after my car got rear-ended by an trashy 18 year old who said she rammed my car because I was “over the white line” at a stoplight.

The trashy punk girl lost, because I had my camera with me to document what happened. I always carry my camera with me in case I see BigFoot.